The differently Abled Cricket Association of Haryana (DACAH) is organizing a cricket league for Physically Challenged cricketers named Divyang Premier League (DPL). 5 teams are participating in this league. The previous season was held in 2017 and in 2021 the league is coming up with the latest edition. The tournament will be conducted in Sonipat & Chandigarh, Haryana on 15-18 April 2021.
Like IPL has changed the cricket fraternity and many young talents get chances in a similar way Divyang Premier League is a marvellous opportunity for physically challenged cricketers to prove themselves. When the previous season was held in 2017 more than 100 challenged cricketers from all over India participated in the league and with their terrific performances they played that edition and within that league few talented youngsters got a chance to represent India and won the trophy in the T20 world series for physically challenged cricketers which happened in England in 2019. India defeated England in the final by playing an amazing and fascinating level of cricket.
But since then the cricketers are in search of opportunities to play. As the pandemic situation occurred and due to lockdown Divyang cricketers didn’t get anything as there was no actual PD cricket happening because of COVID-19 spread. But now when the situation is in some control the tournament is taking place in Haryana. DACAH is organizing this tournament under the aegis of the All India Cricket Association for Physically Challenged (AICAPC). AICAPC is the organization that is involved in managing the operations of Physically Challenged cricket in India. The founder of AICAPC is former India captain Padmashree Late. Ajit Wadekar. He founded this in 1988.
The 5 teams who are participating in the league are Haryana Hurricanes, Bengaluru Warriors, Mumbai Champs, Delhi Dynamos, and Kolkata Tigers. In 2017 Mumbai won the first season of the Divyang Premier League. This league has helped many cricketers to nurture and grow themselves and made them competitive to represent India.
The brand ambassador of this league is S Sreesanth. The man who made a comeback again in the cricketing world almost after 7 years. 38 year old made a comeback in the age where people think of retiring and he decided to start a new inning. Divyang Premier League’s brand ambassador S.Sreesanth said that “I’m honoured to be part of a journey of these lovely and hardworking individuals. I’m sure it’s a great platform for upcoming and current cricketers to showcase their talent. These physically challenged cricketers are an inspiration to billions. Let’s all of us support and cheer for these superb cricketers”.
DACAH Secretary and Divyang Premier League’s Director Mr Dinesh Kumar said that “DPL is a platform for creating awareness about Divyang cricket, also we are hoping that it will help us identify more upcoming talents and also for current players to showcase their talents so that they can later get selected for the Indian team. Also, We are proud to have a person like Sreesanth to have as a Brand Ambassador for the league. S Sreesanth who is a fighter himself will motivate all our cricketers and we are sure that his association with us will definitely create a lot of awareness of About Divyang Premier League and Physically challenged cricket”.
DPL will surely proceed by next month and will explore new talents like they brought in the previous edition and those talents helped in clinching the T20 world series and that too in England.
